


You Have To Live

by AshWinterGray



Category: Arrow (TV 2012)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Hong Kong, Rewrite, Suicide Attempt, What-If
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-13
Updated: 2021-02-14
Packaged: 2021-03-14 00:00:33
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 9,405
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29410167
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AshWinterGray/pseuds/AshWinterGray
Summary: Things go a little differently for Tommy and Oliver in Hong Kong. It changes everything.
Relationships: Tommy Merlyn & Oliver Queen
Comments: 8
Kudos: 24





	1. Chapter 1

Tommy jerked as he realized a bag was over his head, and he all but screamed as the bag was yanked off. The lights were bright, making it rather hard to see anything, but he tried anyways.

“Where am I?” he demanded, yanking against the bonds. “What’s going on?”

“You will fetch me a pretty penny, Mr. Merlyn,” a voice with an odd accent declared.

“What?!?”

“I knew it was only a matter of time before someone noticed,” the accent hummed thoughtfully. “I had expected the mother. Or perhaps the sister. But you. The heir to the Merlyn empire. You will fetch a pretty price.”

“No, wait, so Oliver is really-?”

“Dead at the bottom of the ocean.”

And something in Tommy’s chest caught. Oliver was really dead. He was stuck at the bottom of the ocean with Sara and his dad. And Tommy had dared to hope. The accent was saying something else, but Tommy couldn’t bear to listen. He didn’t care if his father paid for him or not.

“No,” Tommy wheezed. “No, Oliver can’t be. He can’t-”

The words caught in his throat as Tommy keened. All of this for nothing. Oliver was dead, and it wasn’t fair. His best friend was gone. Lost. If it had been Tommy, then no one would have cared. Oliver would have mourned, but no one else.

“Why wasn’t it me,” Tommy keened. “Why? Why did it have to be him?”

“What?” the voice gaped, losing the accent.

“No one would have cared if it were me,” Tommy wheezed, unable to stop the tears. “It should have been _me._ Ollie still had a family. It should have been-”

“No! Stop.”

Tommy’s breath caught again as his captor suddenly appeared in front of him and yanked off the mask. It couldn’t be-

“Don’t you ever say that, Tommy. Don’t you dare.”

“Oliver…?”

“What are you doing?” a new, unknown voice demanded.

“Change of plans,” Oliver stated with a growl at the voice.

“Are you mad?”

“Yes,” Oliver stated before turning back to Tommy. “I am really sorry about this.”

“Ollie, what-?”

The world went black.

\---------------------

“I’m not amused.”

“I don’t care.”

Tommy barely groaned as the world came back to him. There were several people with guns in the room. A woman, too. There was a man being restrained, and a little boy who seemed to be trying to be brave.

The woman was glaring at Oliver Queen.

“Fine, then,” the woman stated. “I’ll just have to-”

And everything happened too fast for Tommy to process. As the woman motioned her men towards the boy, Oliver lunged for something at one of the belts, and suddenly he had a hand-gun. Expect, rather than aim it at the woman or the guards, he aimed it at _himself._

“What are you doing?” the woman demanded, her voice only partially betraying her shock.

“You need me alive, don’t you?” Oliver laughed almost like a maniac. “You want me alive? You want me to do something for you? Well, here’s the deal, Waller. You let the kid and my friend go, and I’ll do whatever you want. If I find out either of them have so much as a scratch, I’ll kill myself. And you want to know the best part of that threat?”

Tommy watched in horror as Oliver’s smile got just a bit more sinister.

“I lived on an island with a Japanese soldier, a highly trained anthropologist who knew just as much about weapons, and a mercenary. I don’t need a gun to make sure I hold out my end of the deal.”

The woman, now known as Waller, said nothing for a minute. Tommy had a feeling that her silence wasn’t a good thing. She was one of those people his dad loved to go up against in corporate battles.

“If I had known this was what it would take, I would have done this sooner,” Waller finally concluded. “Akio will be returned to his mother, and they will both go somewhere safe, and you, Mr. Queen will convince your friend to keep silent, or I will be forced to take action. And I cannot have this secret out. Neither of us wants you dead, right, Mr. Merlyn?”

Oliver let his gaze shift to Tommy as he slowly lowered the gun. Waller made a few hand gestures and suddenly, the men let go of the one man, and the boy ran to his father. They were whispering in Chinese. At least, Tommy assumed it was Chinese. They were in Hong Kong.

“You have five minutes.”

“Ten.”

“Eight,” Waller conceded. “Don’t worry about the whole life story.”

Oliver nodded as Waller and her men left the room, Oliver rushed to Tommy’s bedside.

“Tommy-”

“Were you really going to kill yourself?” Tommy demanded, cutting Oliver off. “Ollie, were you really going to just do that?”

Oliver sighed. Actually _sighed_. Like…like he had actually considered it.

“Tommy, I need you to listen to me _very. Carefully._ Don’t interrupt. Don’t try to ask questions. Okay? We don’t have time.”

Tommy nodded as Oliver reached out to grip Tommy’s arms, helping him to sit up. Tommy griped back studying his friend. There were so many quips and jabs Tommy could make at the mullet and lack of beard, but…they didn’t have time.

“I don’t have time to explain everything but I was stranded on an island until recently,” Oliver began. “I wasn’t alone…but the others are gone now. Sara too.”

“Sara-?”

Oliver put a hand up, letting go of Tommy’s arm to do so.

“Please, Tommy. I don’t have much time.”

Tommy swallowed and nodded.

“I learned things. On the island. Skills that Waller finds useful. And as much as I want to go home, she wants you dead because you know I’m alive. And I can’t let that happen.”

Tommy made to say something, but Oliver covered his mouth this time.

“I need you to go home, Tommy. I need you to pretend you never saw me, alright? She’ll kill you if you don’t pretend like this never happened. And I…I meant every word, Tommy. If anything happened to you, Waller really would need to bury me in the ocean.”

Tommy made a noise of protest, but Oliver wouldn’t move his hand.

“And you were wrong, earlier,” Oliver stated. “I would miss you. My mom would miss you too. Thea, too, probably.”

Tommy watched at the wistful expression on Oliver’s face. The pain of this situation. Oliver was making this choice for _him._ To keep him alive. To give him a reason to live.

“I need you to go home, Tommy,” Oliver turned to look back at him. “I need you to live. If for nothing else, then to take care of my family and Laurel. Please. Do what I can’t right now. Let that be my last, dying wish.”

Oliver lowered his hand, watching Tommy in earnest. And Tommy understood. Because here was Oliver, the threat of losing his family over his head, and Tommy was part of this family. Tommy understood because he had gone halfway across the world because of an email. From his brother.

“Okay,” Tommy agreed. “Okay. For you. But you have to live too, Oliver.”

Oliver gave a laugh and suddenly, he was hugging Tommy.

“I missed you,” Oliver breathed.

Tommy didn’t even hesitate to hug back. “I missed you too, you idiot.”

“Time’s up,” Waller declared. “I have a plane ready and waiting for you, Mr. Merlyn. We’ll update you on your cover story in the way home.”

Tommy let the hug linger just a moment longer before pulling away.

“He has to live,” he told Waller.

“That is the plan, Mr. Merlyn,” Waller admitted, her gaze solely on Oliver. “And if things go well, we’ll give him back to you soon. You’ll just need to keep your end of the deal.”

Oliver’s eyes widened in shock at those words, and Tommy shot one last glance to his friend. Then he let the men heard him out. Waller was telling Oliver whatever his mission was, but Tommy didn’t hear the detail. He simply released a breath.

_Ollie was alive, and he had to keep that to himself._

\------------------------

“Tommy?” Thea questioned as she saw the man standing in the foyer. “What are you doing here?”

“Something I should have done when this started,” Tommy admitted, looking rather sheepish. “Oliver…Oliver isn’t here anymore. And in my own grief, I shut everyone out, Thea. But you…you lost your big brother. Your mom shut down. And your dad is gone too. And…I realize I wasn’t always the nicest to you, but…”

“Please just get to the point,” Thea breathed, face screwed up.

“I’d like to be your…sort-of-not big brother,” Tommy gave a rough, stupid explanation. “I-I know I can’t replace Ollie. I don’t think anyone can. But Thea, I know you loved him, and someone should be here to tell you all about him so you never forget.”

Thea was silent for a moment, and just as Tommy think he messed up, Thea sucked in a wet breath. “I’d really, really like that.”

“Yeah?” at Thea’s nod, Tommy grinned. “Okay, well, let me tell you this one story of the time Oliver punched Carter Bowen.”

“He did?”

“It was beautiful,” Tommy grinned as he led Thea to the foyer. “Your mom had a heart attack of course, but even Laurel agreed he deserved it.”

And Tommy kept his promise to Oliver. He watched over Thea, prevented her from going to bars, and doing drugs. He was there for Moira as she shut down, and then maybe sort-of supported Walter Steele when he had far more luck than Tommy. And, eventually, he went to Laurel too. He befriended her. Maybe fell a bit in love too.

And then, to really spite his dad.

“I want to work at Queen Consolidated,” he told Moira and Walter.

Moira blanched. “What?”

“I…I know I’m not…currently qualified,” Tommy admitted sheepishly. “But, just hear me out. Please.”

Moira nodded, watching Tommy carefully.

“Moira, you and Robert raised me,” Tommy forced the words out, finally accepting what he knew was true. “And I know I can never replace Oliver as your son, and I have no intention to, but I have been more a Queen than a Merlyn, and I don’t…I don’t want to be in my father’s shadow. I don’t want to be alone and bitter like my dad.”

Moira’s expression softened. And a few days later, Walter was showing Tommy around the company.

(What Tommy didn’t know was that Moira had confronted Malcolm about his son’s sudden interest in Queen Consolidated. What Tommy didn’t know was that Malcolm confessed to Tommy’s little trip to Hong Kong after Oliver’s email had activated. What Tommy didn’t know was that Malcolm expressed his concern that he believed Tommy was under the impression that he had somehow failed Oliver by not finding him in Hong Kong. But there were things Malcolm didn’t know either.)

\-----------------

Tommy knew Oliver was coming home first. He got a call about a “friend in Hong Kong” and Walter gave him time off to go and see Oliver. Except Waller met him at the airport in person.

“I need you to talk to him,” Waller stated simply as they began to fly off. “This is everything you need to know about what happened.”

As Tommy read over the file, his heart suddenly broke. Because this…this was terrible. Tommy could care less about the torture. This person clearly deserved it. But this was terrible. So many dead.

The guy from last time was there to greet him when Tommy arrived at the safe house.

“Be gentle,” the guy instructed carefully.

Tommy nodded. Because this guy was clearly close to Oliver. Oliver probably thought Tommy would react harshly to the news of what he had done, and this man seemed to have an idea of what Oliver would think was going to happen.

“Is your son okay?” Tommy questioned him.

The man softened. “Yes. Thanks to you, Waller kept her word, and Oliver kept his. He is safe with my wife in a different city. They were not here when the virus struck.”

Tommy gave a weak smile, glad that the kid was okay. He hoped Waller would let this guy see his son again. Preferably not when there was a life changing, deathly incident. With that exchange done, Tommy entered the room to see Oliver sitting on the floor. Looking lost.

“Ollie?”

Oliver jerked up, tense and ready to strike, but he froze quickly, entire body sagging at the sight of Tommy. Then they were hugging just as they had the last time Tommy saw Oliver. Only this time, they were tears of relief and not goodbye.

“Everything is okay,” Tommy promised. “You’re okay. I’m here.”

“I want to go home,” Oliver confessed.

“I know. I know. I have you now.”

\-----------------------

A few months later and Moira got the phone call from Oliver. He was on a boat. Alive. Tommy breathed a sigh of relief and didn’t have to fake the tears of joy at the news. It was agreed, after hospital recommendation, that Moira be the one to go greet Oliver and bring him home. Tommy had…braced Oliver for the shock of Walter and Moira being married now, but he still wasn’t sure how his friend would react. So much had changed, and yet there were several things that had changed.

Tommy was there with Thea when Oliver came home.

And to see Oliver positively melt as he held Thea in his arms, Tommy couldn’t help but smile, and maybe shed a few tears. But in his defense, Oliver was crying a little too.

“I don’t know what to tell them, Tommy,” Oliver confessed later, shortly after dinner. “Sara…she made me promise I would tell them that she died on the Gambit, but…”

“She was a hero,” Tommy nodded. “And you think they deserve to know.”

Oliver glanced over to Tommy, finally locking eyes with him.

“Ollie, whatever happens next, we’ll figure it out. The list. This…persona you’re building. You’re not alone.”

“I don’t want you to get hurt.”

“Yeah, and that’s a good idea to let you go alone,” Tommy huffed a laugh. “What are you gonna do, Ollie? You’re already a terrible liar. Can you imagine the excuses you would make without me? You’re going to need an alibi.”

“I’m going to make one,” Oliver insisted. “A bar. In the Glades.”

“Right,” Tommy nodded. “And how are you going to run a bar if your already have a night job?”

Thunder roared in the distance, but Oliver wasn’t having nightmares this time. Moira entered the room to see Tommy and Oliver asleep on the floor like one of those sleepovers they had as kids. Thea had joined them at some point too.

\-----------------

“You know why Detective Lance is doing this,” Tommy glared at Oliver. “You need to tell him the truth.”

“Tommy, I-”

“You were arrested because the Detective thinks you’re the Arrow. And he thinks this because of video footage, and his vendetta. And while you have a way to explain the video footage, he isn’t going to just drop charges as long as he hates you. They have a right to know, Oliver,” Tommy insisted, glaring his best friend down. “So I expect you to sit in here, look him dead in the eye, and tell him the truth.”

“Tell me the truth about what?” Detective Lance demanded as he entered the room with Laurel and the polygraph tester.

Oliver shot Tommy a helpless look, and Tommy sighed.

“Detective, if you’ll allow it, I’d like to stay in the room,” Tommy stated, looking Quentin dead in the eyes. “Oliver needs to break a promise. And he needs moral support.”

“Promise? What promise?”

“To your daughter,” Oliver confessed. “Sara…made me make a promise. Before she died.”

Both Laurel and Quentin were stunned.

“What did she tell you?” Quentin demanded.

“Hook me up to the polygraph first,” Oliver stated. “I need you to know I’m telling the truth.”

Tommy stood in the corner as Oliver told them. It was clearly fragments of the truth. How a man named Ivo had come to the island. How he wasn’t looking for money, just test subjects. How he saved Sara and used her. How Sara and Oliver saved the prisoners but at the cost of Sara’s life and Oliver’s escape off the island. How Sara made him promise to tell her family that she died on the Gambit so they would remember her as she was, not the monster she believed Ivo made her.

“You knew?” Quentin accused Tommy.

“Only that Sara hadn’t died on the Gambit,” Oliver quickly corrected. “I…when I made the promise, Sara and I were both under the impression that neither of us would live. And then when I survived…I forgot about it until I got home. I’ve been at war with myself ever since.”

“He needed someone to trust, Detective,” Tommy insisted. “And I was that person. Today was the final straw.”

“You let us hate you,” Laurel breathed in shock as the realization crashed down on her. “You let us hate you because of Sara’s dying wish.”

“You have every reason to hate me,” Oliver insisted. “Both of you have every reason to hate me. Sara should never have been on the Gambit. And I’m sorry. There isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t wish it had been me to die that day.”

After everyone gained their bearings, Quentin went on with the questions, and it was decided that Oliver simply needed to wear an ankle monitor for a few days. Laurel called her mother, relaying the news, and Quentin observed Oliver closely.

John Diggle went out as the Arrow and Oliver was free. But the weight of the confession had worn down on Oliver, and Tommy was there for him through the tears.

“I have to tell my mom and Thea something,” Oliver confessed. “I just don’t know what…”

“You tell them what you told Laurel and Detective Lance,” Tommy insisted. “They don’t need much more than that. Not now.”

So, Oliver told them. He told them the truth. Nothing more. Nothing less. And definitely didn’t mention the list. He had already unintentionally dragged Tommy into this life, he didn’t need to involve his mother and sister too.

\-----------------

Revelation after revelation, Tommy and Oliver took it all in. Oliver couldn’t accept that his mother was involved, and Tommy couldn’t blame him. But it wasn’t until Tommy found himself giving his father a blood transfusion that Tommy realized what might actually be going on.

Borrowing Oliver’s phone wasn’t difficult. Neither was calling Waller.

_“How did you get this number?”_ her voice demanded.

“I think we both know Oliver is smarter than either of us gives him credit for,” Tommy scoffed, clearly surprising Waller. “But that’s not why I’m calling. Listen, we need to talk.”

_“About what, Mr. Merlyn. I don’t exactly owe you any favors.”_

“Maybe not me, but you certainly owe Oliver,” Tommy declared bitterly. “And right now, his family is in trouble.”

_“I’m listening.”_

“The list Oliver kept, the one his dad gave him, we’ve discovered that the organization in charge of this list is called Tempest,” Tommy stated, quickly glancing around the Foundry before sitting in the chair. He was alone. Good. “We recently discovered Moira Queen was involved, and that they have a plan to do something to the Glades.”

_“You think Moira Queen is a criminal mastermind?”_

“I think she’s working for an evil criminal organization under duress,” Tommy corrected. “Oliver made a new friend recently, and she discovered that the Queen’s Gambit had been exhumed shortly before Walter Steele went missing. There were…some surprising discoveries made. Like the fact that the Gambit was sabotaged.”

_“Blackmail, then. You think someone used Robert and Oliver’s deaths against her, and now they’re using Mr. Steele.”_

“Yes. I do. And I think I know who. Which is why I need your help. For Oliver’s sake.”

_“I’ll have my people look into it, but I need a name, Mr. Merlyn.”_

Tommy swallowed.

\--------------------

“He’d have two,” Tommy stated in realization as Felicity guided Detective Lance to the correct location. “There would be a second device.”

“What?” Felicity squeaked, but Tommy was already off.

Tommy ran through the streets, searching desperately for a second device, listening to all of Felicity’s instructions to Detective Lance. They didn’t have much time.

“Tommy!”

Tommy kept running, now with an idea in mind. Thea was behind him, as was her new boyfriend, Roy, but he didn’t have time to listen. He kicked in the entrance to the subway and kept sprinting.

“Tommy, what is going on?”

And then he saw it.

“Felicity!” he said to the comm in his ear. “I found the second one! I need you to talk me through it! We don’t have much time!”

And with Roy and Thea’s help, they worked to shut off the device.

It got down to the last second.

“We need to go!” Roy tugged at Thea.

“We can’t abandon all these people,” Thea protested.

“HA!”

Tommy stumbled back in sheer relief as the device stopped ticking down. There were three seconds left on the clock. But they were frozen. Not able to count down another tick. Tommy had never been so relieved in his life.

“It’s done,” Tommy sank to his knees. “I stopped it.”

Thea sank to Tommy’s side and wrapped him in a hug as they both laughed in relief. Roy, who lived in the Glades, clearly needed a moment to process the fact that his home was safe. But he soon joined them.

**_“Tommy!”_**

“Here! Over here!”

The Hood arrived in the tunnel, taking in the stopped timer and noting the people gathered on the ground. Tommy could see Oliver sag in relief. It was over. They won. The Glades were safe.

“Everyone get down!” a voice called.

Oliver complied. Tommy, Thea, and a reluctant Roy complied. The letters on their suits did not go unnoticed. The next thing they knew, they were being herded into a van, and the device was being taken care of.

**_“What does Waller want?”_** Hood demanded, voice all modulated by the weird device.

“At the moment,” the woman, clearly sharp and strict, hummed. “Nothing. She’s repaying a favor to you.”

Tommy put a hand on Oliver’s arm and gave it a squeeze, causing his best friend to whip his head towards Oliver.

“I may have,” Tommy cleared his throat. “I may have borrowed your phone while you were freaking out about you-know-what.”

“Oliver…?” Thea breathed as she managed to catch sight of his face. “Oliver, is that…?”

Oliver sighed and pulled down the Hood. “Hey Thea.”

Thea threw herself across the truck so she could wrap her arms around him. Oliver held her back, locking eyes with Tommy for a moment.

They were definitely going to be having a conversation.

\------------------------

It was tense as the Queen family sat around the table. Tommy, being an honorary Queen, was welcomed, though he suspected there was a second motive to his presence. Some had collected Felicity and John at some point, and even Walter was sat the table. They had all given up on trying to speak to each other.

“I shot you,” Moira suddenly said.

“I’m fine, mom.” Oliver brushed off. “Really. I had help.”

Moira didn’t look like she believed Oliver, but she kept her mouth shut. She had already given up trying to talk to Thea. Of course, that was when Waller entered the room.

“Tempest,” she began reading of a file of collected information. “An organization originally meant to help restore Starling City to its former glory, comprised of rich individuals who all felt the Glades had taken something from them. Until a few years ago, nearly six years, to be exact, Malcolm Merlyn decided restoring the Glades wouldn’t be enough. And thus began his endeavors to destroy the Glades entirely. He blackmailed everyone in Tempest into compliance in some way, shape, or form. Two such members being Frank Chen and Moira Queen. This blackmail resulted in the death of Robert Queen, as well as Sara Lance, and the believed death of Oliver Queen. Malcolm Merlyn kept rather extensive records on everyone. Well done, Mr. Merlyn.”

Everyone’s heads whipped to Tommy, and Tommy looked specifically to Oliver. “I may have done more than just…borrow your phone.”

“You went to Waller?” Oliver breathed in disbelief.

“Hey, you were freaking out because your mother was involved in some sort of fishy activity,” Tommy defended himself. “Felicity had some interesting information on Walter’s disappearance, and you happened to have the phone number of the most terrifying woman in existence. Someone had to keep their head together, and it wasn’t you.”

“She tried to kill you,” Oliver protested.

“And how many times did she try to kill you?” Tommy fired back. “Indirectly or deliberately?”

Oliver opened his mouth as if to protest but quickly snapped it shut.

“I almost regret giving that order,” Waller stated, that oddly amused smirk on her face that made everyone a little uneasy. “Except it clearly worked in our favor. The two of you make quite the conniving pair.”

“Would someone please explain what’s going on?” Thea demanded, turning her own glare on Waller.

“I, too, would like to know what is going on?” Walter stated. “Because if I didn’t know any better, I would think the three of you were implying that you’ve all had prior history before.”

“Well, it’s a good thing you do know better, Mr. Steele,” Waller stated, though it was clearly Walter wasn’t the least bit intimidated by this woman. Or maybe he was faking it. Waller was terrifying. “Assuming you will be using your family lawyer, Mrs. Queen, we will be prepping her for your case. However, there are details we need to discuss about your involvement with Mr. Merlyn. I might be able to wave the death penalty, but you did play a massive part in his schemes.”

Moira, however, was clearly very afraid of Waller. “Thank you.”

Waller gave a blank nod and then motioned Oliver, Tommy, John, and Felicity to follow. Tommy and Oliver both complied without question, both knowing what power the woman held. John and Felicity followed dutifully. 

“I wish I could say this was over, but we both know I would be lying,” Waller stated as she led them to greet Lyla Michaels. “Your company, Mr. Queen, will take a massive hit from this. People will try to buy the shares. Merlyn Global will also suffer.”

“That’s fine,” Tommy cut off before Oliver could say anything. “I’m going to sell them anyways. I’m going to focus more on helping my best friend run Queen Consolidated while he works out his night job.”

Waller seemed pleased by this answer. “It appears, Mr. Queen, that your friend has brought a few things to light. As you are aware, ARGUS has been focusing much of its attention outside the U.S. Perhaps its time we put some of that focus here, as well.”

“And what does that mean?” John demanded.

“Rather than working as employer and employee,” here Oliver snorted as if Waller had just given the funniest joke in the word, “perhaps we should create a partnership. We start with Starling, and then we branch out.”

“Oh yeah, with who?” Oliver questioned.

“There are a few places we are looking,” Waller concluded. “I’m sure you’ve heard the rumors of the once Justice Society, corrected?”

“What, those old legends about superheroes?” Felicity joked. “Those are just urban legends.”

“Not quite,” Waller stated. “In fact, there are two such members in Starling. But for now…I’m looking at something a little more nocturnal. He’s simply being stubborn. For now, Mr. Queen, lets start with you. I think you’ve proven you are more than capable.”

Tommy looked to Oliver, seeing his friend mentally weigh the option. Oliver would need time. Something both Tommy and Waller knew. But for now…they had time.

\----------------------

Tommy sold Merlyn Global to a guy named Ray Palmer, who clearly had great plans for Starling City. Ray was a great guy, and it was sort of a relief not to be blamed for his father’s actions. In fact, Ray was such a great guy, he offered to help Oliver and Tommy with Queen Consolidated and going up against the formidable Isabel Rochev. She just gave Tommy some really bad vibes.

“I already own 15% of the shares,” Isabel protested, though this statement only served to make Ray’s grin grow wider. “And I currently own 35% of those shares. Plus the 15% that Oliver Queen managed to purchase. And seeing as Oliver and I are looking to partner Queen Consolidated and Palmer Tech, you’re a little unprepared.”

Isabel Rochev naturally looked angry, but now she looked as if she just might claw Ray’s eyes out.

“Being a business major yourself,” Oliver spoke, the statement clearly directed at Isabel, “wouldn’t you be _for_ a business deal like this. I mean, I got to sit through Mr. Palmer’s speech when he offered to buy Merlyn Global, and given the speech he just gave now, I’m half tempted to just let him buy the rest of the shares, himself, if I wasn’t so determined to right my mother’s wrongs, myself.”

“And would you look at that,” Tommy suddenly added with a wicked, smug little grin towards Isabel, “I just bought another 15% of the shares. Thank you, Laurel Lance and Thea Queen, for being my advocate. Mr. Palmer, I believe I speak for both Oliver and myself when we say we look forward to working with you.”

Isabel practically shrieked as she left the board meeting room.

“You’ll have to forgive us for not being the best business men,” Tommy shook hands with Ray. “I’m still finishing up my business classes, but I worked closely with Mr. Steele. And, Oliver, well…”

“You don’t get business lessons on an island,” Oliver confessed. “I can’t guarantee I’ll be at every meeting. My therapist recommended I not confine myself for long hours due to the open space I was used to on the island, but Tommy and I are working with our head of IT in trying to give me a way to still be in the meetings without being here physically.”

_Thank you Waller for dumb excuses that are actually valid._

“Whatever you need,” Ray assured brightly. “I was just pleased to know the both of you actually liked my proposal. Not many people agree with someone coming in and making such big changes.”

“Given what Starling City has gone through, I think change may be necessary,” Oliver stated. “Thank you for giving us the chance to help you change it.”

As Ray left to go begin his business ventured, Tommy and Oliver took a moment to breathe a sigh of relief.

“So what now?”

“We help the city,” Oliver stated like it was the simplest thing in the world. “Both in the day, and in the night. Speaking of night, Roy mentioned someone active in the Glades. A new, masked vigilante. He’s keeping an eye out, but she’s proven to be a hard one to catch.”

“She?”

“Yep. We’re going to see if she’s a threat before we truly act, but I figured you should know incase I get pulled away tonight.”

“I’ll look through the excuse list,” Tommy grinned.

Oliver huffed a laugh as the two went to check on the recent project Queen Consolidated had begun in the name of restoring the Glades. Ray Palmer certainly did have a few good ideas. And right now, Starling needed good ideas.


	2. Chapter 2

**Five Years Ago**

“You shouldn’t be here,” Tommy told Thea carefully, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder. “Listen, I know you think this will help, but-”

“I just…wanted a taste,” Thea protested, though it was weak. They both knew it was a weak argument. “This was…this was my brother’s life.”

Tommy’s face crumpled as he pulled Thea close. These were the moments where Tommy just wanted to scream and shout to the world that Oliver was alive. That a mad woman had him captive to do her evil bidding for the “good of mankind.” But Oliver had been serious. He couldn’t afford that risk.

“He wouldn’t want this life for you,” Tommy told her honestly as they pulled back. “I don’t want this life for you. However good that opinion may be, it’s the truth.”

Laurel watched them both with a soft expression. She had distanced herself from Tommy and the Queens since Oliver and Sara’s death, putting up barriers to prevent them from entering. But now. Here. She was regretting that action.

As Tommy pulled Thea in for another hug, he caught sight of something.

_More like someone._

“Laurel, could you do me a favor and take Thea home,” Tommy turned to her. “I know you don’t owe me anything, but-”

“No, I’ll do it,” Laurel cut him off quickly. “Have you had anything to eat yet, Thea? I was thinking Big Belly Burger.”

“That actually sounds really nice,” Thea confessed, casting a glance back at Tommy.

“Hey, I’ll meet you at yours, okay,” Tommy assured, giving Thea’s arms a light squeeze. “It is the weekend, and we can stay up late watching stupid movies we think Ollie would like. But I gotta make sure the police don’t trace the party back to me if something goes south while I’m not here to supervise.”

Thea nodded, letting Thea drag her out of the party. Once the two were out of sight, Tommy quickly darted in the direction of where he saw the someone from earlier. He followed the person up the stairs and into the dark part of the hallway. Immediately the person turned around and lunged.

Tommy caught Oliver in a quick embrace, letting his friend shake and tremble in relief.

“Hey, hey, it’s okay,” Tommy soothed, easily recognizing that he didn’t have time to break down. “Thea’s okay. I wasn’t going to let anything happen to her.”

“Thank you,” Oliver breathed, sounding a little chocked up as he pulled away.

Tommy gave Oliver a watery smile, taking a moment to look his friend over. There was more muscle, and Oliver seemed to at least have constant meals now. Which was good. But Oliver looked so tired. His hair was unkept. Still long and growing. Dark bags circled haunted eyes.

“I take it this isn’t you coming home?”

Oliver shook his head.

“I have a job here,” Oliver admitted weakly. “But I…I had to see you. Tatsu said you were alright, but…”

Tommy had absolutely no idea who Tatsu was. “I’m okay. I’ve kept my end of the deal, and so has Waller. Nothing has happened to me. Or Thea. Okay?”

Oliver nodded, falling back into Tommy’s embrace and taking a moment.

“I don’t have much time.”

“Then let’s make every second count, okay?” Tommy urged gently. “And then you keep fighting. It’ll all be okay. I promise. I’ll be waiting for you to come home.”

\-------------------------------

**Present**

“She’s good,” Roy admitted to their little rag-tag team. “However this new vigilante is, she’s been helping the girls in the Glades. Occasionally men too, but she’s mostly been keeping an eye on the girls. Word on the street is they call her the Banshee. She’s got some sort of…sonic scream.”

“The story around the club is that she’s a dark angel,” Thea elaborated. “But she’s never been seen near the club either.”

Thea and Roy had taken over the Verdant to help keep the club active, and help keep the secret identity. Thea acted as manager, while Roy acted as assistant manager. The two kept the club running, the base secret, and kept an ear on the newest gossip around the Glades. Which was why they were now discussing this new vigilante and not the fact that they had just stopped China White from stealing more of the medicine meant for the Clinics in the Glades.

“You think there’s a chance she knows more than the average vigilante wannabe,” Tommy concluded, eyeing the couple curiously.

“It’s a possibility,” Roy nodded after he exchanged a glance with Thea. “She used one of those rod things. Those metal, expandable ones. And I’m fairly certain her platinum hair is a wig. Her suit is roughly the same material as Oliver’s. At least, that’s what it looked like.”

“So did you work with any platinum blonde wig wearing females?” Felicity questioned.

Oliver sighed, shaking his head. “No. I was kept separate from most other people. Especially people who had similar skills to me. If this is one of Waller’s people, I’ve never met her.”

“And yet you seem to doubt that assumption,” Tommy mused, eyeing his best friend curiously.

“Yes. I do,” Oliver agreed, sharing a glance with Tommy. Ah. This was one of _those_ moments. Tommy knew when to shut up. “The new vigilante isn’t hurting anyone. Not like the Hoods and the Mayor have been. We’ll leave her alone for now unless we think there is a danger. For now, we should all get some rest. It’s going to be a long day.”

It was a long day. Between board meetings, meeting with Moira, talking with the Queen family Lawyer, and still trying to figure out what to do about the 15% shares Isabel Rochev still owned, Tommy had half a mind to tell Oliver to get some sleep.

“Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad to have a second vigilante running around,” Tommy suggested, getting a look from Oliver. “Hear me out. Trying to take care of the company and trying to maintain the nightlife are not helping you adjust back into society. I’m fairly certain you mom was going to lung out of that chair and sedate you at any second by those bags under your eyes, alone.”

“He’s got a point, Oliver,” Diggle threw out his two cents. “You’re wearing yourself ragged over this. Even you need a break.”

Tommy looked to his friend, seeing the way Oliver sagged a little. There was still an underline of tension, however, one Tommy knew might never go away. Oliver had been through too much to truly ever relax again, but still. Oliver was human.

“Let’s just see what Ray’s new plan is first, before we decide nap time is a thing,” was Oliver’s response.

Tommy locked eyes with Diggle and gave an exasperated expression. A look that made Diggle chuckle as the pulled up to the once Merlyn Global building. Felicity was already there and waiting.

“You guys are late,” Felicity huffed, but she seemed relieved to see them.

“Yeah, we know,” Oliver sighed. “Isabel Rochev tried to shut down a major trading deal with her 15% and we had to explain the situation and transfer the business to another stock.”

“Not how we planned to spend our afternoon,” Tommy chirped as they entered the building.

“Ah! Glad you could make it,” Ray grinned at the two friends. “Don’t worry, my assistant let me know about the shark problem you were having, so I prepared for a late arrival.”

Ray Palmer, though clearly a socially awkward rich guy with too much free time, was a blessing neither Tommy nor Oliver could fully hate. Despite his annoying tendencies. The man was readily prepared for any situation, and his plan to save Starling City was what had put Oliver, Thea, and Tommy back into the good grace of the public. They’re combined charities, restoration projects, and job opening businesses, as well as their assistance to current businesses in the Glades had been what they needed. What Starling City needed.

“Right,” Ray grinned starting the meeting. “So, part of keeping our business up will be deciding who we support as Mayor. And I think we can all agree that the current candidates are…less than ideal.”

Oliver and Tommy listened intently as Ray went through the candidates. Of course, the two were also keeping an eye on the current mayoral runners, and they would be using this meeting to share information. After all, the pick for Mayor would be a big deal for Starling.

“The one candidate everyone wants to run is Sebastian Blood,” Ray went on. “However, despite the activism the man has started, there are some…questionable details. For example;”

\------------------------

“I’m surprised Mr. Queen isn’t here,” Sebastian Blood approached Tommy at the Gala to help support the Glades.

Tommy gave Sebastian a purposefully strained smile. “He’s…here in spirit.”

“Is something wrong?” Sebastian questioned.

“Ollie…doesn’t do well with crowds sometimes,” Tommy confessed, the lie easily slipping past his tongue. “He’s been trying to make an effort to appear at Galas, but you’ve probably noticed his lack of partying and his current shut-in tendencies. His therapist said it would get better over time, but, you know, he has a tendency to rush things. He wants things to be normal when they aren’t.”

Sebastian was quiet for a moment. “Mr. Queen must be very determined considering the charities and events he goes to. Including his recent trips to the Glades.”

“Yep. So you can imagine why a small room filled with stuffy people who want to touch and coo and shake hands was the final straw,” Tommy hummed, brushing off the blatant jab for a lie. “That’s actually why Thea isn’t here either. She’s making sure he doesn’t panic himself into a coma. We take turns staying with him when he gets like this.”

“You give this information away rather freely,” Sebastian seemed to accuse while also trying to play it off.

Joke was on him. Tommy was used to this sort of behavior.

“Tommy, darling,” a voice called out, and Tommy turned on his heels to greet the woman, making sure that Sebastian caught his eye-roll. “Mrs. Bowen. How are you?”

“I’m doing well,” Mrs. Bowen hummed. “I take it today was a bad day for poor Oliver?”

“Yes, I’m afraid so,” Tommy made his voice strained, not that it was much of a hassle.

“Well, we all know Oliver has been through something traumatic,” and this time, Tommy _really_ didn’t need to fake being exasperated. Carter Bowen was suddenly joining the conversation. “Perhaps I could recommend that therapist about now?”

“We’ll consider it,” Tommy stated through clenched teeth. “Now if you will both excuse me, I was having a conversation with Mr. Blood.”

Tommy quickly, but discreetly, led Sebastian away. “I would love to punch that man through the teeth,” Tommy growled. “I wouldn’t let his recommended therapist anywhere near Oliver.”

Sebastian eyed Tommy for a moment. “I take it Oliver needing therapy spread like wildfire among the elites.”

“Faster than wildfire,” Tommy huffed. “One moment, Oliver ditches a Gala to get some air, the next, the entire ballroom new that Oliver had a therapist and shouldn’t be around crowds. I tell you, the women here are worse than sharks. Don’t let them hear anything personal.”

“I’ll keep that in mind,” Sebastian said. “Thank you for the tip. And tell Oliver I would love to meet him in a more private setting if he prefers.”

“I will,” Tommy agreed.

This. This was why Tommy was Oliver’s secret keeper. He could lie through his teeth and no one would notice. Then again, Tommy only got good at this because of Waller.

“Tommy,” came the far more comforting call from Walter Steele. “Bad day, I take it?”

“Something like that,” Tommy nodded with a sigh.

\---------------------------

Tommy knew bits and pieces of the story. But seeing her now, Tommy had a _lot_ of questions. The first one being; how the heck did she even survive?

Roy had tracked the Banshee down to a girl named Sin. Her mother had died at birth, and her father had gone missing somewhere in the China Sea. Apparently, the pilot made Sara promise to find Sin one day, and tell her that he loved her. Sara had kept that promise.

And now Sara Lance was training in the gym under the Verdant.

Alive.

And then she was arguing with Oliver about her past and Tommy just…

“The rest of you go home,” he motioned, purposefully locking eyes with Thea. “I’ll take care of this.”

Despite the protest of the others, Thea nodded. Because Thea understood. Because Thea knew that Tommy could get Oliver to open up, because she knew Tommy had been there. Because they were trying not to keep secrets. If anyone could help Sara and Oliver, it was Tommy. And Thea knew that.

So the others left.

“I don’t think-”

“Ollie and I have the most terrifying woman on the planet on speed-dial, Sara, whatever you have to say, we’ll listen, and if we can help, we’ll try.”

Sara looked just like Oliver had all those years ago. That day he had come back to Starling to do some sort of job and managed to sneak away to see Tommy at that party. She looked tired, but well cared for. But she also looked broken. Like no one would accept her for what she had done.

So Tommy did what he knew worked. He pulled Sara into a hug.

“We’re here, Sara,” Tommy assured. “You’re home.”

His shirt got a little wet, but that was unimportant.

What was important were the literal assassins.

\------------------------

“She shouldn’t have walked,” was Waller’s blunt statement as the Queen family sat gathered in the Queen estate, honorary family included. “As much as it peeves me, someone managed to rig the jury.”

Thea was still reeling, carefully cradled between Tommy and Oliver as Moira couldn’t even bring herself to look her daughter in the eye. In true Waller fashion, Moira hadn’t been given a choice about telling Thea the truth about her birth father.

“While we are still trying to figure out _who_ rigged the jury,” Waller stated, softening her voice in a way Tommy never thought possible. “I am not here to give you pointless facts. We have reason to believe that Robert Queen knew.”

Four heads whipped to Waller.

“Isabel Rochev,” Waller placed the file down for the family to see. “She was Robert Queen’s girlfriend for a time. In fact, we believe they intended to run away together. At least, according to Ms. Rochev. The woman claims that what stopped the plan was a call that Thea broke a bone. She also claims that her hatred for the Queen family comes from the fac that, despite _reminding_ Mr. Queen that Thea wasn’t his child, he chose her anyway.”

Oliver’s brain was clearly whirling. “When you were seven,” he whispered. “You fell of your horse and broke you arm.”

Waller left the Queen family in stunned silence at the revelation.

\------------------------------------

Barry Allen was a good kid, though he got struck by lightning, apparently. Sara’s girlfriend was crazy, but hey, Sara was legally alive now. Laurel had a drug problem and was mad at her sister, but they’d get through that. Helena had come back to cause problems, but they dealt with that. Roy had been injected with some weird chemical and was currently unconscious in the Verdant. Moira was convinced to run for Mayor against Sebastian Blood, but that was not too big of a problem.

And then came Mr. Wilson.

“How interesting,” the man hummed, looking at the family with something akin to glee. “You all appear to know your son’s little secret.”

That statement would have been less terrifying if Mr. Wilson wasn’t gripping Oliver’s arm. Thea screamed as Slade broke her brother’s arm, and Oliver let out his own cry of pain as Tommy tied to hold Thea and Moira back.

“Perhaps we’ll just do this now,” Mr. Wilson stated.

“Slade,” Oliver wheezed desperately. “Slade, please.”

Slade Wilson was a name Tommy heard only in passing. And one mentioned only recently now that Sara was legally alive. Whoever the man was, Oliver regretted something that happened, and Tommy had a feeling they were going to find out.

Several people suddenly swarmed into the house, yanking Tommy away from Moira and Thea. Slade had Oliver by the neck, and Tommy desperately struggled in the man’s grip. He really needed to learn more combat skills. If he lived through this, he would definitely start learning. But for now.

“Slade! Please! Don’t do this!”

“Did you beg for Shado’s life?” Slade taunted Oliver, snarling out the words. “Did you plead to let her live?”

Oliver’s arms were being tied behind his back, and he released a scream as his broken arm was twisted painfully. Moira and Thea were also being bound, much like Tommy was. Though the two were being placed next to each other. On their knees, forced to face Oliver.

“Slade,” Oliver begged. “Please.”

Slade had dropped Oliver to the floor, leaving Tommy’s best friend to desperately try and fight the pain and take action. Thea was sobbing, and Moira looked like she wanted nothing more than to crawl forward and cradle her son in her arms. Slade moved behind the two women.

“Choose.”

_“You didn’t choose, Ollie. You can’t keep blaming yourself for Shado’s death.”_

_“Slade did.”_

Those words. Words Tommy had overheard between Oliver and Sara. Slade must have loved Shado. But all of this? Over a girl? There had to be something more. Something Tommy was missing.

**_“CHOOSE!”_**

“I didn’t choose!” Ollie was whimpering now. “I didn’t!”

“Yes you did!” Slade barked. “ _She_ told me!”

Except there was no one there. Tommy frowned at the missing person and tried to remember more of what he knew of Sara and Oliver’s time on the island. Which wasn’t much, but.

_“We both know what the Marikuru can do. How it can mess with your head. If Roy hurts anyone, I will act.”_

_“What? No!”_

_“Sara-”_

Slade. If Slade was the mastermind behind this, then Mirakuru, which should have been destroyed, had to come from a source. Slade, probably. Which meant Slade had to have been injected with the stuff. Which made Oliver’s earlier statement of “you’re dead” make a lot more sense.

So, basically, Slade was someone Oliver knew, and probably cared about, but the guy had this Mirakuru in his system that was making him crazy and with a desire to hurt Oliver because Oliver didn’t save his girlfriend.

Tommy had no idea what to do with this information. But hey, at least he figured out what was going on. Roughly.

“We all know how this is going to end,” Moira was standing up.

_And forget this._

Tommy headbutted the guy holding him, breaking from the bonds, glad he _had_ taken those escape lessons, grabbed the gun, and shot at a guy who was trying to rush him. Then Tommy trained the gun on Slade Wilson. Not that it would do anything, but it was worth a try at this point.

“You’re not touching either of them,” Tommy growled.

_Now if only he had this sort of confidence when facing Waller._

“Tommy,” Oliver wheezed. Begged. “Tommy.”

“You’ve got guts, kid,” Slade gave an amused chuckle. “Tell me, do you even know what your friend has done?”

“Yes,” Tommy stated flatly. “Probably more than you do.”

Slade’s amused grin grew wider, but the remark was cut off as a bullet sailed through the window. Embedding in Slade’s chest. Sara and Roy chose that moment to move, quickly rescuing the two Queen women as Tommy dove for Oliver. Slade made to stand, only to get a second bullet in his chest. A sharpshooter, if Tommy had to guess.

Diggle, holding a giant bazooka looking gun, was standing next to a car with his ex-wife, Lyla Michaels, ushering the group of people into cover. Diggle quickly got to work resetting Oliver’s arm.

“Tommy,” Oliver breathed, voice strained, and his good arm reaching for Tommy’s pulse.

“I’m here, Oliver,” Tommy quickly took his friend from Diggle. “I’m right here. We’re okay. We’re all okay.”

It struck Tommy as odd that Oliver had gone to him rather than his mother or sister after what just happened. Even Sara probably would have been ideal in this moment as she understood what happened on the island. But this thought was followed by the revelation that it actually wasn’t that far-fetched. Of course Oliver would have gone to him. Because Tommy was the first person to discover Oliver was alive. He was the first to be there for Oliver when everything around him was falling apart.

Oliver looked at himself and saw a monster. Tommy looked at Oliver and saw his broken best friend.

And even if there was nothing else Tommy could do; he could at least hold Oliver together.

“I’ve got you,” Tommy promised. “I’ve got you.”

\-------------------------

“We won’t know if the cure works on Mr. Wilson,” Waller was explaining. “He’s had the Marikuru in his system to long for the cure to take immediate effect. We have to test it on Mr. Harper.”

“No,” Oliver stated.

“I wasn’t asking,” Waller stated as a doctor plunged the needle into Roy’s arm. “There is an army of Marikuru soldiers, and you know better than anyone what those people can do.”

The doctor put a second dose of antidote created by S.T.A.R. Labs into Slade Wilson. Oliver made a small keening sound at the sight, an action that only made Tommy subconsciously grip his friend tighter.

“Nothings happening,” one of the medics spoke through a speaker.

“They won’t know right away,” Felicity tried to assure. “He’s still got all that viper venom in his system.”

“Ms. Lance,” a guard called out as the team watched Roy and Slade sleep. “Your family is here.”

Quentin, Laurel, and Sin all raced to Sara, all three checking over her carefully. Oliver barely acknowledged them, just watched as Roy and Slade continued to sleep off the venom. Then, suddenly, Roy sat up.

Oliver straightened instantly, stumbling froward, caught only by Diggle and Tommy’s quick reflexes.

“Easy man, easy,” Diggle was saying as he guided Oliver back onto the cot that looked over Roy and Slade’s room. “Don’t press yourself. You took a nasty beating, remember.”

Tommy caught Laurel’s horrified gaze over Oliver’s head. There would be time for rough explanations later. For now, they had bigger problems. Like the fact that Oliver couldn’t currently shoot a bow.

Tommy knew Waller was ruthless. She no doubt had plans to destroy the city. So Tommy needed to gather that same wit he used to aim a gun in Slade Wilson’s face, and he needed to convince Waller of a different plan. And quickly.

\-------------------------------

“Don’t do that to yourself.”

“Do what?”

“You know _what._ ”

Oliver gave Tommy an amused chuckle. The confrontation with Slade was less than ideal, and honestly, Oliver would have preferred that Slade be nowhere near Waller’s reach. But the man was still unstable. It was estimated it would take years for the cure to fully work through his system. So they needed a place to keep the man until he and Oliver could have a civilized talk.

That meant Lian Yu.

Purgatory.

“What?” Oliver teased.

“You’re making that face that says you blame yourself and everything is my fault,” Tommy huffed, giving Oliver a nudge. “Sometimes I think you forget how well I know you.”

“Maybe I do,” Oliver agreed.

“Right,” Tommy huffed, rolling his eyes with a fond grin. “Now, what do we do about Laurel?”

Laurel Lance. Brilliant. Talented. Fierce. Did he mention Brilliant already?

Waller had brought Sara’s family to A.R.G.U.S. as leverage, but had stupidly underestimated the brilliance of the Lance girls. Where Sara managed to cut a deal with Nyssa al Ghul, Laurel had deduced Oliver and Sara’s identities, and confronted them about it. And that a large portion of her friend group seemed to be in the know. That had been…an interesting talk.

“We’ll figure it out,” Oliver sighed. “Hopefully. For now, I’m flying.”

“Your arm is still healing, Ollie,” Tommy chastised.

“I have a question,” Felicity asked as she approached them.

“You always do,” Oliver sighed.

“Okay, but, if you lived on a island for five years, how did you learn to pilot a helicopter?”

Tommy and Oliver exchanged a look.


End file.
